cred65 Posted January 24, 2009 Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 Any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAXBILLY Posted January 24, 2009 Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 I prefer the flash drive. taxbilly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Posted January 24, 2009 Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 I prefer the flash drive. taxbilly Beware: flash drives can (and DO) fail without warning. If that's your only backup, at least use multiples. What do you want from the external hard drive? Network access to files? Daily backup of returns? Ease of taking work home; just pick up the drive and go? All those can change the type of drive and setup thereof. So, more details, please. Catherine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAXBILLY Posted January 24, 2009 Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 They have become extremely reliable of late. http://thetravelinsider.info/roadwarriorco...bflashdrive.htm taxbilly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cred65 Posted January 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 Beware: flash drives can (and DO) fail without warning. If that's your only backup, at least use multiples. What do you want from the external hard drive? Network access to files? Daily backup of returns? Ease of taking work home; just pick up the drive and go? All those can change the type of drive and setup thereof. So, more details, please. Catherine I just want a backup of my system and data files that will automatically perform this at off peak times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
windmill Posted January 24, 2009 Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 see Amazon.com. 320G western digital for under $100. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAXBILLY Posted January 24, 2009 Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 http://www.nextag.com/external-hard-drive/search-html taxbilly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Posted January 25, 2009 Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 I just want a backup of my system and data files that will automatically perform this at off peak times. More important than the drive, then (assuming you pick decent hardware), will be your backup software. We've been very happy with Acronis True Image. Personally, I don't use the scheduled task for automatic backup, but don't see why it shouldn't work as well as the rest of the system. Catherine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Posted January 25, 2009 Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 Acronis True Image would be my suggestion for backup software also, unless the external drive is bundled with something that works well for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medlin Software, Dennis Posted January 25, 2009 Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 Think as if all media will fail (it will) and all computers will fail or "walk" away. Multiple backups stored in multiple locations are a must for "real" backups. Make a recovery plan and test it! Can you recover from a media failure? From a power outage? From a computer failure? From a computer theft? If you can't get to your computer's location for several days? If your phone is out of order for a day? If your internet connection is down? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janitor Bob Posted January 25, 2009 Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 I use a Maxtor external drive and use Cobian Back-up as software Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcb39 Posted January 25, 2009 Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 I use Iomega Rev with Ghost for full backups. Also export each file as I work on it to Iomega Zip disks. Do daily incremental backups to Iomega Backup Pro on Rev Drive. Pricey, but has worked well for years and I can keep the two alternating disks in the safe for both desktop and laptop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxxcpa Posted January 25, 2009 Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 Any suggestions? I use carbonite. It backs up all data files automatically so I don't have to remember to do it every day. I also have an external hard disk to back up a few things that I want double protection on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcjenkins Posted January 25, 2009 Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 And frankly, since in our business, our computers and our databases are our lives, double protection is not enough, you should always have a minimum of three different backup sources. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAXBILLY Posted January 25, 2009 Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 For a free trial: http://www.carbonite.com/ads/ppc/Google/TM...CFQZqswodDCOjnA taxbilly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lion EA Posted January 25, 2009 Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 I had at least three rotating flash drives until someone mentioned how easy it is to have one stolen or lose it; and it can't be password protected. The IT folks at my husband's school system recommended a Seagate external drive. I was using it and thinking of getting a second to keep off site. I like the external drive, so if something happens to my computer, I can just plug it in to my husband's computer and be back in business until I get a more permanent solution. Also, I can grab it and run (a nor'easter or power outage or...) and get up and running with a rental or at the library or friend's home. Instead of another external drive (I have a home office, so no convenient off-site place to store it that I can get to 24/7) I went with storage at VMS as my second "external drive." They set it up for me to run automatically according to my schedule. I feel calmer knowing I have my tax returns and other data files stored away from home, but I can get to them. You can check with Kyle, but I think their prices start at $50/year depending on how much storage you require. In other words, to back-up my hard drive, I have the Seagate external here and VMS off-site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Posted January 26, 2009 Report Share Posted January 26, 2009 I had at least three rotating flash drives until someone mentioned how easy it is to have one stolen or lose it; and it can't be password protected. I use encryption software on my desktop. It can also encrypt external hard drives and flash drives. The software license allows for this. But not addional computers such as a laptop. I use PGP for the encryption. Hopefully, if I lose a flashdrive or it's stolen, the info is protected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Posted January 26, 2009 Report Share Posted January 26, 2009 And frankly, since in our business, our computers and our databases are our lives, double protection is not enough, you should always have a minimum of three different backup sources. Ditto and more!! I have MozyPro online secure backup that does a daily backup in the background. I have it set for "faster backup, slower computer" but have noticed NO diminution of computer speed with that. We have on-site backup hard drive that happens (...not as often as it should) for "cold-metal restore" capability, as MozyPro does DATA, not executables or system. That on-site mirrors itself to a second drive weekly (automatically), and the mirrored disk gets swapped regularly with an identical one in an off-site safe deposit box. Then I close every tax year by putting pdf's of all returns and scanned original documents on an archive-quality, gold-coated CD or DVD, which also goes into the safe box. On another forum I read, one man a couple years ago had his office burgled during tax season; all computers and peripherals taken. Thanks to an auto-backup system and an external hard drive he took home daily, they lost NO work, just ("just" -- hollow laugh) a couple days to replace equipment and re-load programs. Learned my lesson from his story! Catherine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lion EA Posted January 26, 2009 Report Share Posted January 26, 2009 That's why I'm backing up to VMS. My office is in my home so I'd lose everything in a robbery or fire or flood, and waiting for Monday morning when the bank opens... Thank for the info on encryption. Maybe I'll return to my rotating flash drives, too. They're so handy, especially during tax season when I want VERY frequent back-ups. VMS uses Corbian to back-up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virtual Managed Solutions Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 That's correct, we do use Cobain for client backups. It's a great piece of software and it is very secure. Best thing of all it's an Open Source program so it's free. This would help if you have an external hard drive, or you own FTP site where you can upload the data to. Cobain is the essential link to get that info there. It's what sets the automatic updates and distinguishes what needs to be backed up and what does not according to your needs. I don't want to throw a plug in here, but Lion mentioned some pricing for us and I just wanted to elaborate a little more. If you have a Technical Support package with VMSUS, for $50 more annually, you will get 2GB of off-site storage. For only $100 annually, you get 5GB. If you do not have a Technical Support package, the pricing is a little more. If anyone wants a brochure mailed, emailed, faxed or hand delivered, just let me know and I will get that out right away! Well, maybe not the hand delivered part, but I sure would like to get out of this arctic weather we are having! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 <snip> If anyone wants a brochure mailed, emailed, faxed or hand delivered, just let me know and I will get that out right away! Well, maybe not the hand delivered part, but I sure would like to get out of this arctic weather we are having! You're welcome down here tomorrow to help me dig out from the foot of snow we're expected to get. ;-) And when my current subscription runs out, I will be checking you folks for online backup. catherine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joelgilb Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Quick correction so anyone looking can find it it is Cobian at http://www.educ.umu.se/~cobian/cobianbackup.htm version 9 is not open source but version 8 is I have just downloaded it as my Norton Ghost does not really do the job the way I want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virtual Managed Solutions Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Oh geez, thanks <joelgilb>. I always spell it "Cobain," because my favorite band of all time is Nirvana and their lead singer was named Kurt Cobain. So when I try explaining it, or typing out Cobian, Cobain automatically comes out as that is what's on my mind. Thanks so much for the correction and giving a heads up. Sorry to everyone. :scratch_head: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Oh geez, thanks <joelgilb>. I always spell it "Cobain," because my favorite band of all time is Nirvana and their lead singer was named Kurt Cobain. So when I try explaining it, or typing out Cobian, Cobain automatically comes out as that is what's on my mind. Thanks so much for the correction and giving a heads up. Sorry to everyone. Gee, I was thinking "Nirvana backup".... Smells Like Tax Spirit? B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janitor Bob Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Gee, I was thinking "Nirvana backup".... Smells Like Tax Spirit? I've used Cobian for a few years...I love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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